Suction cleaners



Dec. 9, 1969 G. TJFlLLEiRY 3,432,276

' sucnon CLEANERS Filed Feb. 14, 1967 s Sheets-sheaf 1 6am I F/ZL 5P) INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1969 Filed Feb. 14, 1967 l I l G. T. FILLERY SUCTION CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 9, 1969 (5 T. FILLERY SUCTION CLEANERS s sheets-sheet 5 Filed Feb. 14, 1967 Had.

United States Patent US. Cl. 15--349 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A suction cleaner has a casing with a door giving access to a rotary beater. The beater is removably mounted between separable end supports carried by the casing. The drive to the beater is outside the casing and is applied to the beater through one end support.

This invention concerns a suction cleaner, more particularly for cleaning carpets of the type comprising a casing, an electric motor within the casing, a suction fan driven by the motor, a rotary carpet beater assembly within the casing and extending partly through a suction opening in the casing and driven by the electric motor, e

a dirt receptacle removably mounted within the casing and a duct extending from within the casing to the suction fan, the suction of the fan creating a stream of air which flows through the suction opening, past the beater assembly, through the dirt receptacle for collection therein of dirt borne by the airstream and thence through the suction duct.

The present invention has for its main object to provide a suction cleaner of simple and cheap construction.

Today carpets are made from natural fibres (as wool and cotton) and from man-made fibres and also from mixtures of natural and artificial fibres. Furthermore, the nature of the pile of carpets nowadays takes many forms and it is found that a beater/brush suitable for one carpet is not satisfactory with another. The object of this invention is to provide a suction cleaner of the type set forth in which the beater/ brush is readily removable and replaceable.

According to this invention a suction cleaner of the type set forth is characterised in that the casing has a door giving access to the interior of the casing and to the beater assembly therein and in that the beater assembly comprises a beater member extending between a pair of spaced-apart walls of the casing, a bearing carried by each wall of the casing and a readily disengageable coupling means rotatably supported by each bearing removably to receive one end of the beater member, at least one of said coupling means extending through a wall of the casing to a beater driving mechanism exteriorly of the casing.

Preferably, the driving coupling means resiliently drives the beater member.

A practical embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereof:

.FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carpet suction cleaner according to this invention, the cleaner being shown in the in-use condition,

-FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 and to a larger size showing how the main parts to which the present invention relates are assembled ready for use,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cleaner of FIG. 1 to a larger size and partly in section,

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a section on the line V-V of FIG. 3 and 70 the adjacent walls'of the casing a chamber within'which "ice FIGS. 6. 7 and 8 are transverse cross sections of alternative constructions of beater assemblies to that of FIGS. 1 to 4.

Referring to the drawings: the suction cleaner comprises a casing 5, an electric motor 6 within the casing, a suction fan 7 driven by the motor 6 and a rotary beater assembly 8 driven by motor 6 through pulleys 9, 10 and belt 11. The heater assembly 8 may comprise beater bars alone, or brushes alone (as shown) or a combination of beater bars and brushes, all of which are to be understood by the expression beater assembly as used throughout the specification and claims.

The casing 5 is mounted on wheels 12 and upon sliders 13 for movement over a carpet to be cleaned, the cleaner being moved to and fro over the carpet by a handle 14.

A direct receptable 15 is removably mounted within casing 5 and the beater assembly extends in part through a suction opening 16 in casing 5 thereby to engage with the carpet over which the cleaner is moved. The fan 7 communicates with a duct 17 leading from the fan to a compartment 18 which receives receptacle 15.

Compartment 18 is defined by sides 19, 20, a rear partition wall 21 (having opening 22 therethrough by which duct 17 communicates with the compartment) a skeletal base 23 and a door 24 hinged at 25 to the casing for opening and closing movement-compare FIGS. 1 and 2.

Receptacle 15 (see particularly FIG. 2) is a rigid, box-like structure preferably made of metal though it may alternatively be made of a synthetic resin plastic material, cardboard or the like. The receptacle comprises a floor 26, side walls 27, 28, a front wall 29 and a rear wall 30. Floor 26 rests upon skeletal base 23, a sealing strip 31 (FIG. 2) being interposed between the floor and the base. As shown particularly in FIG. 2 the top edge of front wall 29 is lower than the side walls 27, 28 so that said top edge is spaced from the undersurface of door 24. i

A sealing strip is provided between partition wall 21 and the rear wall 30. The latter comprises a filter element 34 of zig-zag or concertina form and extending substantially over the entire rear wall so that a large filter area is available.

Air is'drawn by fan 7 through duct. 17 and opening 22 from compartment 18, the. air passing through dirt receptacle 15 from opening 16. The airstream is constrained to pass over wall 29. Consequently, the dirt carried along in the stream of air is drawn into receptable 15 and the filter element while allowing substantially.

unimpeded passage of air prevents passage of dirt which therefore collects in the receptable 15.

The door 24 has an opening which is normally closed by'a shutter 37 (FIG. 1) pivoted at 38 to door 24 for opening and closing movement. An end fitting of a.

rod 43 pivoted constitutes a rigid, box-like structure which is readily in; troduced to, and removed from, the casing through the opening of door 24. When the receptacle 15 is positioned,

within casing 5 the side 29 of the receptacle defines with the beater assembly 8 is rotatably mounted. Again access 3 to the beater chamber is obtained through the opening of door 24.

As also shown in FIG. 2 the beater assembly comprises a beater member or bar 45 (e.g., of aluminium) of rectangular cross-section twisted along its length to helical form. Tufts of bristles 46 are carried by the opposite edges of the bar 45. One end of bar 45 has an axiallyprojecting spigot 47 and the opposite end has a pair of axially-projecting pins 60.

Wall or support member 20-see FIG. 4car-ries a roller bearing 48, e.g., within a housing 49 secured to the wall. A coupling means including a stub shaft 50 is rotatably mounted in the bearing and is axially adjustable against the action of spring 51. The latter acts between wall 20 and cup 52 which is integral with shaft 50. A manual knob 53 is on the outer end of shaft 50which as readily seen in FIG. 4 passes from within the beater assemblycharnber to the outside of casing 5.

Spigot 47 is received in cup 52 and is supported thereby.

Referring now to FIG. wall or support member 19 carries roller bearing 54 in housing 55 and a coupling means including a stub shaft 56 is supported by the bearing. Shaft 56 extends from within the beater assembly chamber to outside casing 5. The outer end of shaft 56 carries pulley by which the shaft is driven.

The inner end of shaft 56 carries a cylindrical member 57 within which is a block 58 of rubber-like material. Block 58 may be secured to member 57 by adhesive, by bonding or otherwise. Block 58 has a pair of spaced axial holes 59 to receive, one each, the pins 60. The latter are a close, squeeze fit in holes 59.

The heater is driven from pulley 10 through stub shaft 56, resilient block 58 and pins 60.

By withdrawing knob 53 cup 52 is released from spigot 47 and bar 45 may be moved sideways to a small extent. The bar 45 may then be pulled lengthwise away from block 58 so that pins 60 disengage the block. The beater brush is then removable. It is equally easy to replace a heater brush. Ready access for removal and replacement of the beater brush is provided upon opening the door 24. It is apparent that removal and replacement of the brush does not necessitate disconnection of the drive to the beater brush.

The block 58 provides a resilient drive to the beater and accommodates for non-alignment of the bearings, and manufacturing variations in the beater member. Also the resilient block accommodates in torsion the repeated impact as each row of tufts strikes the carpet and thereby provides a smoother drive.

With the arrangement described a range of beater brushes and/or beater bars may be provided for use in the cleaner to meet different operating conditions due, for instance, to diiferent pile materials, pile depths and so on and the brushes and/or heaters are readily interchangeable so that a brush and/ or beater appropriate to particular pile conditions may be selected and used.

The beater brush may be constructed in several other ways of which three are shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

In FIG. 6 a plate 70 carries along each of its opposite lengthwise-extending edges a stock 71 (e.g., of wood) carrying tufts of bristles 72. Each stock is rivetted at 73 to the plate. A spigot 47 is secured to one end of the plate and a block (not shown) with projecting driving pins is secured to the other end. The plate 70 may be suitably stiifened, e.g., by integral ribs.

In FIG. 7 the edges of plate 70 are cranked at 74 and the cranked portions carry the stocks 71.

In FIG. 8 a pair of plates 75 are rivetted (at 76) together face to face. The confronting plates form pockets 77 for bristles 72 and the plates additionally grip the spigot 47 therebetween at one end of the plates. A block with projecting driving pins is also gripped between the plates at the other end.

By omission of the bristle tufts (and if need be the provision of suitably shaped rods or the like) the beater mem- 4 ber of FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 or of FIG. 6 or FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 may be used to beat a carpet instead of, or as well as, brushing the carpet.

The door 24 giving access to receptacle 15 and heater assembly 8 has, at each side, an integral cover piece or member 146, 147. When door 24 is closed cover piece 146 overlies knob 45 and prevents the latter from being inad-Vertently withdrawn during use of the cleaner by engagement of the knob with furniture or the like. Such inadvertent withdrawal is to be avoided because the beater is thereby released from its bearings while it is driven. In use also (when the beater is driven by pulleys 9, 10 and belt 11) it is undesirable that the belt drive be exposed and when door 24 is closed cover piece 147 overlies the belt and pulleys.

It may be arranged that initial opening of door 24 actuates a switch in the circuit of motor 6 so that the motor is rendered inoperative while the door is open.

In an alternative arrangement the pins 60 are dispensed with and the end of bar 45 (which is rectangular in crosssection) is closely received within a rectangular hole in block 58. In another modification the cup 52 is enlarged to receive a resilient block having a hole (e.g., a rectangular hole) to receive the other end of bar 45. It may thus be arranged that both ends of bar 45 are resiliently supported.

The beater bar 45 of FIG. 2 in an alternative arrangement may be straight along its length, i.e., is not twisted along its length to helical form.

I claim:

1. In a carpet or the like suction cleaner comprising:

a zasing having a pair of spaced apart support memers;

a motor mounted within said casing;

a suction fan driven by said motor;

a rotary beater assembly within said casing and extending partly through a suction opening in said casing and driven by said motor;

a dirt receptacle removably mounted within said casing;

a suction duct extending from Within said casing to said suction fan; and

a door in said casing giving access to the interior of said casing and to said heater assembly;

said heater assembly comprising:

a heater member extending between said pair of spaced-apart support members;

a bearing mounted to each of said spaced-apart support members;

coupling means rotatably supported by each bearing for releasably coupling said beater member to said bearings, at least one of said beater coupling means extending through its respective support member and being rotatably driven by said motor, said extending coupling means including resilient driving means for lockingly coupling one end of said beater member to said extending coupling means to impart rotation to said beater member, the other of said coupling means including means for supporting said heater member for axial displacement of said beater member to enable said beater member to be readily released from said beater coupling means.

2. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient coupling means comprises a block of rubber-like material through which rotation is imparted to the beater member.

3. A suction cleaner according to claim 2 wherein said one end of the beater member abuts a face of the block of rubber-like material, a pair of spaced apart axial holes in the block removably receiving a corresponding pair of pins projecting from said end of the beater member.

4. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 3 wherein the resilient block is received within and drivingly secured (e.g., bonded) to a cylindrical member carried by one end of said extended coupling means, a portion of said extended coupling means extending through the casing to the driving means.

5. A suction cleaner according to claim 1, in which the beater member is resiliently held (in the axial direction of the beater member) between the pair of beater coupling means.

6. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 5 wherein one of the beater coupling means comprises a stub shaft supported by a bearing for rotation and for axial adjustment, the stub shaft receiving and supporting one end of the beater member and being spring urged towards said one end of the beater member.

7. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 6 comprising manual means exteriorly of the casing for retracting the stub shaft from the beater member.

8. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 7 in which the door has a member to enclose the manual retracting means when the door is closed preventing access to the interior of the casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 862,053 7/1907 Cobb 15392 X 1,611,684 12/1926 Serva. 1,829,582 10/1931 Carson l5354 X 1,891,503 12/1932 Smellie 15-389 X ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

